


Tether

by darklingbooks



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Crossover, F/M, M/M, Six of Crows, The Grisha Trilogy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-02 03:11:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16297094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darklingbooks/pseuds/darklingbooks
Summary: It's been three years since that fateful day on the Fold and Alina has been in hiding ever since. After losing Mal that day she has scarcely interacted with anyone, and just when she's finally begun to feel safe a new but also very familiar presence makes itself known once more. It's when Alina tries to ignore this feeling that she's captured by none other than Dirty Hands himself and Alina is in deeper than she ever asked to be.





	1. First Contact

Chilled hands ran across her bare stomach as she lay in bed sleeping. She tried to ignore it at first, thinking it was her roommate trying to scare her as usual, but when she remembered that she’d been fully clothed when she’d gone to sleep, and that her roommate hadn’t stayed for the holiday her eyes burst open. 

Hovering above her, barely visible, was a pale man with dark black hair and nearly white colored eyes. He wasn’t built like a wrestler-his muscles were more taut and wiry, but they were still there. They were still enough to subdue her before she could even scream. She quickly pushed him off of herself, pushing her shirt back down to cover the pale skin of her stomach.

How did he find me? She’d worked so hard to become invisible, but for what? To become just as easily found again? 

It was when she felt the gentle pull in her shoulder that she realized he wasn’t real, but his touch certainly had been and it was never something she’d be able to get over. The fact that he could be here, but not really here at the same time. 

They continued to stare at each other, brown eyes against quartz. White hair against black. Light against dark. 

“I see you’ve tried especially hard to get away from me, but at the same time you can’t help but think of me.” He finally spoke, his voice just as silky and beautiful as she had remembered it being. Smooth as the silk from a spider. But also just as dangerous. 

“That’s not true.” It was a weak response, but how could she possibly know what to say when he’s practically just ambushed her?

A crooked grin crossed his features as he sat at the edge of the bed, his fingers stroking the wool blanket softly. “Alina, you know how our tether works. We can only visit each other if we allow it.” 

He seemed so smug. He must enjoy shoving it in her face that he was able to be here right now. Alina decided deflecting was better than giving in to him, so she tried to change topics. 

“I thought you were dead.” 

He froze momentarily, but resumed once again, a more wicked smile crossing his face. “It appears you wished I was dead, but instead your little tracker boy was the one to perish. How unfortunate.” A pretend pout crossed his features.

Alina felt a pang in her chest as he mentioned Mal. Her Mal. The Mal who was dead because she’d plunged a dagger in his heart, and for what? To have the Darkling survive instead? 

“Why are you here?”

“I’m here because you want me to be my dear Alina, you’ve wanted me here for awhile. This is just the first time I’ve given in to showing up for you, after all, I had to make you believe I was dead, right?”

She felt her mouth lightly fall open and she slowly swallowed, her throat scraping from it’s dryness. He had wanted her to believe he was dead, and he’d done it in the right way. Ever since the showdown on the Fold, Alina had been reaching through the tether, trying to assure herself that Mal hadn’t died for nothing-that the Darkling had been eradicated and he gave his life a purpose. Clearly her hopes had been wrong because here he was-here but not really here. 

“Well you unfortunately did a good job of it.” Alina sneered, trying to hold back the tears she knew were building up. He would not see her cry. Never again. 

A smug smirk crossed his features and he casually moved his body closer to Alina, his cold fingers trailing up her arm to cup her cheek. “You can never get rid of me Alina, as long as one survives so shall the other.” 

She recoiled, pulling her face away from his hand and curling herself into the corner of her bed, his touch causing a gag to rise in her throat. “That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?” Instead of trying to touch Alina again, he seemed to show an ounce of respect as he got up and began looking through the things of the small room. “We are the only two people who are even remotely equal to each other. We are each other’s balance, if one perishes so shall the other.” 

Alina narrowed her eyes at him before standing up and crossing over to give him a proper slap across the face. “You’ve been alive hundreds of years before I was even remotely a thought! Don’t show up here to feed me lies!” 

In a heartbeat, the Darkling had her wrists in his hands and had her back shoved against the rough wood of the wall. “Don’t ever try to do that again Alina, or I may have to visit you in person.” His voice was lethal and she did all she could to not totally recoil and burst into tears.

Where had the Alina she used to be go? Old Alina used to be able to face him with no qualms, now she was finding it difficult to even make eye contact with him. Maybe Mal’s death, and Nikolai being away running the country had taken more of a toll on her than she’d like to admit. 

She shoved him off and angrily paced back and forth for a few moments before turning to face him, but he was already staring at her. Something close to admiration on his features, was he still pining over her in his demented way? 

“Why?” The small word slipped from her mouth, full of a lot more vulnerability than she’d wanted to show him, but at this point it was getting difficult to keep the facade up and him being here was starting to tire her. The disuse of our tether over the last three years made these few minutes very tiring. 

The Darkling stood up straighter, no longer leaning against the wall. He took a few paces closer, daring to reach out and brush a strand of Alina's bright white hair from her face. “Why what?” 

“Why did you survive?” Her voice cracked slightly, and she felt a tear drizzle it’s way down her cheek. She’d finally broke-the tiny fragile wall she'd built had been for nothing because here he was again, watching her in her most vulnerable state. 

She let her eyes trail up to meet the Darkling’s and he was staring back with a blank face, perhaps trying to hide any actual emotion he could be feeling right now. He slowly reached up to wipe the tear away and she swatted his hand away. That tear was for Mal and she wouldn’t let him take another piece of him away from her.

“I’ve already told you Alina,” His voice had a harder edge to it now, like a knife scraping against stone. “One cannot survive without the other.” 

“Stop telling me lies!” Alina burst out, the tear turning sticky on her face as she caved and wiped it away. “You’ve been around forever! How come you suddenly can only die if I go with you?”

“Oh, Alina,” It was like he was trying to sound caring, but his tone came off as something closer to condescending. “I was without limits for too long, the universe tired of that and thus you were born. With you, someone can keep me in check just as much as they can take me out. But you’ve got to remember something my apt pupil.” 

She recoiled at his words, she no longer wanted him to think of her as his apt pupil, didn’t want him to think of her as his anything. Instead of answering him, she stared hard at him, waiting for him to continue. 

“Even if we die, two more will take our place, and two more will take their’s and the cycle continues. One way or another light and dark will always exist-if not in the way you may think.” This time he closed the distance between the two of them once more, his pale hand reaching for her own pale hand. Ever since their last encounter on the shadowfold she hadn’t summoned once. It had greatly diminished her health and she was once again sickly and stick like but she couldn't find it in her to care.

“So there will always be an evil Aleksander Morozova and a kind Alina Starkov?” She made her voice as innocent as possible, but her words had been chosen carefully. His name was something that only she and Baghra knew, and now that Baghra was gone-another loss of someone so close to her-she was the sole living person who knew his true name. It was he who had asked her to say his name one final time as she thought he lay there dying, and it was she who had whispered his name as what she thought was his body burned on the pyre. 

Whatever he actually felt at hearing his true name used against him he hid well. “Not always my apt pupil,” He leaned closer, his lips gently touching the shell of her ear. “Sometimes there’s an evil Alina.” 

And like that he was gone, no hint he was ever there except for the warm feeling she still got from where his lips had just been on her ear.


	2. An Unexpected Visitor

Silence greeted Alina the next morning. 

She wasn't sure what she was expecting to see, perhaps to see the Darkling perched on the edge of her bed, his quartz eyes watching her until she finally woke. But he wasn’t there, and her shoulder wasn’t giving any indication that he had been trying to get through to her. 

Had she imagined it all?

No. She couldn’t have. While he was merely a ghost while he was here, she’d felt his hands on her skin, and could still feel the cool press of his lips on her ear. 

She slowly climbed out of bed and dressed in warmer clothing, planning on going into the nearby town today to stock up on more food and other essential supplies. Her roommate Kendara would be back from visiting family soon and Alina didn’t want her to come back to a cold and empty home.

After dressing and pulling her long white hair under a cap-if people saw it they could link her to Sankta Alina, the martyr saint who’d given her life up at seventeen, the girl who bravely gave her own life to take out the terror that was the Darkling. But of course none of that is true, she still was that girl - although a shell of her - and the Darkling still lives, somewhere probably secluded, and more than likely biding his time.

That wasn’t what she wanted however, what she wanted was to be known as Ali. A girl whose family perished while the Darkling wreaked havoc and who was just trying to find her place in life.

When able to, Alina would try to dye her hair brown colors, but it was often too much effort and Kendara was the one who went into town for her anyways. She’s the only one Alina trusted in her new life enough to know that her hair is naturally white. She however believes it’s from a natural occurrence that I’m ashamed of, and not because of her very real link to Sankta Alina.

Of course, white hair is popping up everywhere, especially in Os Alta. She had received no less than six letters from Genya explaining how during her tailor training of the new learning Grisha, the women they often practice on request stark white hair. It often made Alina laugh as nearly every girl with white hair looked ridiculous.

She looked ridiculous.

The only way it would ever even look good on her again was if she were to fully embrace her power and reclaim the position of Sankta Alina. But she never would. Not in this lifetime when too many people could recognize her and all that she had done - both good and bad. Maybe in a few decades, when the few remaining people she loved and trusted perished, and she stayed the same, she could pretend to have been a reincarnated form of the once great saint. But not now. Not when it was hard for her to just survive without ridicule.

As Alina finally made it to the market, her fingers and nose a bright red from the blistering cold, a wave of sudden dread settled in her stomach. It was this moment she wished she had even a bit of clairvoyance in herself to have seen what came next. 

Within moments, the small basket she was carrying was nearly full of all of the materials she needed, and that was when her cap was ripped straight off of her head. Her bright white locks spilling down her back and put on show for everyone to see.

Her hair had grown significantly since her dreaded final stand on the Shadow Fold, now reaching to her mid back, but instead of the soft curls gained from the health her powers brought, it had reverted back to thin and stringy.

Alina's first instinct was to snatch the cap and pay for her few items as quickly as possible, if she couldn’t be directly connected to Sankta, she would still face harsh treatment from her fellow neighbors as all Sankta Alina fanatics were frowned upon. The fact that the village she had chosen to live in bordered so closely to Fjerda and all of the people who hated her may have been a bad decision, but she had never planned on being exposed in this way. 

Instead, as she stooped to pick up her cap she was shoved to the ground and a round blunt object was placed onto her back firmly, keeping her small and now scrawny body pressed against the freezing snow. Alina craned my neck to the side to see a boy, barely older than herself, grinning down at her evilly. 

He had black hair not too far from the Darkling’s own hair, but his was more clean cut, with the sides being much shorter. He is also paler than both the Darkling and herself, which was a feat on it's own, but he managed to pull it off in an almost graceful way. He had a pair of coffee brown eyes and complete with the crows cane digging into my back, and two black leather gloves, he appeared to be the perfect madman. But underneath it all he is beautiful, albeit a crazy kind of beautiful. 

“Get off of me!” Alina shouted, pushing herself almost back to her knees before he’s quick to knock her over again, this time crouching down so he was closer to eye level with her. 

“I’d stop struggling if I were you, I’m more lethal than you could ever imagine.” As if to prove his cruel point he gave a sharp smile, but as he began to stand up again, the pressure on her back lessened and Alina used this tiny mishap to begin her escape.

As soon as she was up on her feet again, she ripped the cane away from him and shoved him backwards as hard as she could, his tall frame flopping into the snow. She brandished the cane like a sword before calling a small spark of light to the palm of her small pale hand.

It had been nearly three years and then some since she had last summoned, but it still came as quickly and naturally to her as it ever had. The gasps from the surrounding bystanders almost cause her to consider burning them all alive to erase all witnesses before the thought alone makes her banish my power back into the small corner she’d stuck it in over the last years. 

The thought alone was beginning to compare to Aleksander saying earlier that there is sometimes an evil Alina. What if she was meant to turn evil in this infinite lifetime? What if out of all of the times and places to go bad, it was to be right here and right now? What if-

Her thoughts were cut off as the boy charged her while she was confused and lost in my thoughts, he tackled her into a nearby snowbank before quickly and efficiently tying a cloth around her mouth to shut her up, and a rope around her wrists to prevent her from using the power she'd already mentally decided to not use. 

“I’m not taking you to him if that’s what you think.” 

Alina's eyes widened at this. This boy, this assassin, this-this bastard, wasn’t actually taking her to her own worst enemy?

“I’m not sure if you even know who I am, but this is the first and last time we will probably meet anyway. The name is Kaz Brekker and the only reason I’m here right now is because I owe a favor to a friend.” 

She tried desperately to speak but her words were muffled by the cloth, and after Kaz saw she would not give up on trying to talk he reluctantly moved it out of the way so that she could finally talk. “Who is your friend?” Alina was out of breath, so many possibilities as to who this boy was taking her to flashing through her mind. 

A crooked grin flashed across his features. “His name is Sturmhond, maybe you’ve heard of him, maybe you haven’t, but we need to leave immediately because I think these Fjerdan’s are going to try to set you on fire if we don’t move fast.”


	3. New Friends & Old

Alina's heart leapt with joy at the mention of Nikolai’s alter-ego and before she could say more, Kaz pulled the cloth back over her mouth and began dragging her deep into the surrounding woodland, he pursed his lips and sent out a short but elaborate bird call, a similar one answering in the distance as the two of them changed direction.

Running with her wrists bound behind her back was quite difficult, but Kaz was already on top of it all, his gloved hands catching her arm every time she stumbled, or pulled her along if she was going too slow for his like. 

In another few moments Kaz did his little bird whistle again, but the responding one was much closer this time and within another moment the pair arrived in a tiny clearing filled with a weird cart like contraption and four other people. 

Standing nearest to Alina was a tiny girl with beautiful brown skin and hair, a purple tunic wrapped around her lithe body - she had to have been a dancer or something similar when she was younger. Her face was completely starstruck and the girl next to her nudged her harshly in the ribs. “You’ll catch flies that way Inej.” 

The other girl was the complete opposite of Inej however, she was much taller and had a thicker build to her - but she was still gorgeous and if Alina wasn’t mistaken had an air of Grisha power surrounding her. 

Behind the two girls were two boys, one being a shorter freckled boy with curly red-blonde hair. He seemed more intrigued by Alina than starstruck, and he had a boyish charm about him. Directly next to him was a very dark skinned boy with beautiful golden eyes, on his hips were twin pistols and he had a devilish smirk on his face, which she couldn’t understand until he opened his mouth to speak. “Wylan’s with me, so don’t even think about hitting on him.” 

Alina felt her mouth mildly drop open, she wouldn’t have guessed that the two of them were together, but honestly if it made them happy she could care less. As long as the two of them were happy together, that was really all that mattered. She had always found it beyond intolerable when people like Wylan and the boy next to him were treated differently - if not harshly - for loving someone that just happened to be the same gender.

“I wasn’t planning on hitting on any of you, but thanks for the heads up,” she sent a half smile to the dark skinned boy before turning to Kaz. “Can you untie me now?”

“What!” The small girl, Inej, yelled, loudly stomping over. “You tied up Alina? The Alina?!” 

She quickly made her way over to Alina and slid a white hilted dagger out of her sleeve to cut her loose before turning back to Kaz and angrily mumbling to him. She hadn’t known him long, but it looked like Inej was one of the few people who could actually yell at him without any repercussions. 

Alina slowly moved closer to the other three who were now all crowded around the weird cart. “What is this thing?”  
The younger boy, Wylan looked over quickly, his blue eyes scanning her as if to see if she was trying to make fun of him or not before he began explaining. 

“It’s a new machine I’m working on, it’s only a prototype but it’s supposed to be a cart that runs on it’s own without any animals. So far, it runs out of fuel pretty quickly and since the fuel is water, it doesn’t do too well inland.” 

“That’s actually really cool.” 

“Of course it is, my boyfriend is only the best super genius kid that’s ever left Kerch so of course his machines are cool.” The taller boy said, throwing a long arm around Wylan and pulling him into his side, causing the younger boy to wildly blush. 

“Jesper, you’re embarrassing me again.” Wylan said as he ducked his head down to turn back to his machine. 

“Jesper is right, our little merchling has got the best brain I’ve ever come across. Except our head boy Kaz seems to have forgotten that this machine needs water and he took us very far inland. Therefore we’re stuck,” The taller girl spoke quickly, she seemed mildly out of place but the more Alina watched the more she could tell these five had been to hell and back together. “Name’s Nina Zenik by the way, resident Heartrender and mediocre tailor.”

She felt a smile grace her face. “I haven’t been around many people these last few years, but I’m really glad Genya has been spreading her tailoring magic around.”

Nina gave a coy smile to Alina. “Genya is the best tailor I’ve ever seen, however I still know some tricks, the first being how to change hair color,” With a pointed look at Alina’s stark white hair she moved closer to pick the dull strands up between her fingers. “I’m thinking a nice dark red.”

Alina quickly snatched her hair back. “Red?” She was having trouble hiding the shock and partial disgust in her features.

“I think you’d look fantastic.” Alina froze at the sound of that voice. 

Standing in the shadow of the cart was none other than the Darkling himself. Looking around, it seemed almost as if everyone else had been frozen in time - Nina’s mouth was hung open, ready to answer Alina. Jesper and Wylan were joking, and Inej and Kaz seemed to still be in an argument over the fact Alina had been tied up. Everyone and everything was frozen in time except for him. 

“Why are you here?” Alina’s voice came out much more shaky than she meant and she inwardly berated herself for it’s frailness. 

The Darkling pushed himself off and away from the cart before moving towards Alina. “You should know how this connection works by now Alina, I can only appear when you allow me.” He seemed to take great pleasure in this, his quartz eyes alight with amusement.

His bone white fingers reached forward to caress her cheek but Alina took a quick step backwards. “Why are they all frozen this time? It’s never happened before.” 

The Darkling paused his advances before glancing at the five other people in the clearing. “It must be because our connection is growing and doesn’t wish to be interrupted.” 

I wish it would be interrupted Alina thought bitterly. “Go away.” She said instead.

“What’s the fun in that?” The Darkling said, this time succeeding in grabbing Alina. But it was a surprisingly gentle touch, not like something she had ever expected from him. He pulled her body gently closer to his, allowing their chests to just barely touch as he brought his lips down to her ear. “This is much more fun than being with those others.” His voice was so deliciously husky that Alina had to fight giving in to him.

The most terrible thing being that she was almost enjoying being this close to him. But, as she allowed her eyes to trail up to meet his, a vision of Mal flashed in her mind and she was quick to push him away.

“Whatever you’re trying to do won’t work Aleksander. You don’t deserve my favor and you never have.” Alina’s voice came out stronger than it had in awhile, and while no power visibly emanated from her body, she could feel it begin to flow in her veins once more.

A bitter expression crossed the Darkling’s face for a fraction of a second before it became devoid of emotion once more. “I’ll go for now Alina, but anytime you ache for me, I will be there,” 

He took one step closer to her, his cold eyes burning into her own before uttering his last words. “Don’t you ever forget that.” Within a second he was gone and the chatter resumed in the forest once more.


	4. Power

After a long debate Alina’s hair was a light golden blonde color, while she still didn’t entirely agree with the coloration it was better than the initial color Nina was trying to make her go. 

Inej and Kaz had also stopped their small argument and along with Jesper and Wylan were busy packing snow into the cart Wylan had created. After a quiet suggestion from Alina that she could just melt some snow into water to power the vehicle. 

Within a few minutes, they were done packing the snow, and after a moment of concentration a small controlled ball of light appeared in her hand and after a few moments of letting the bright white bathe the snow, the engine was full of water. Wylan and Jesper climbed into the front to get it started while Kaz ushered Alina into the back along with Nina and Inej.

Once the kart got going, it was a slow but steady progress, no noise being made for a while except for the wheels crunching along in the snow. “Where are you taking me to meet Sturmhond?” Alina finally asked Kaz quietly. 

“Does it matter?” His voice had the hint of a hard edge to it, but a jab from Inej caused him to loosen up. “A small trading outpost on the outskirts of Ryevost.” 

“And what do you get out of doing this?” Alina inquired further.

Irritation flashed in Kaz’ gaze before he responded. “Let’s just say this is the first and last favor I’m doing for someone.”

“Actually, Sturmhond got into contact with me, so really this is my favor.” Inej piped in. 

“Whatever.” Kaz scoffed before leaning his head back against the wall of the cart and closing his eyes. 

The rest of the trip passed in mostly silence, the only chatter coming quietly from Inej and Nina. As Alina peeked out the back end of the cart she began to faintly recognize the area she was in before there was a large jolt and she was almost sent flying out the back of the cart, the only thing stopping her being Inej’s incredibly fast reflexes. 

A second later Wylan burst into the back of the cart and the sound of a gunfire was heard. “Kaz there’s Fjerdan’s!” The younger boy was clearly startled and began rifling through the many bags and crates. 

Kaz was on his feet in an instant. “How many?” 

Jesper finally burst into the cart, his shoulder bloody and his pistol smoking. “At least twenty, they must have seen Alina!”   
Alina felt a chill settle deep in her bones. Because of her reckless use of her power so close to the Fjerdan border she caused these people to be in danger. 

“Let me handle it, it’s me they want.” 

Kaz shot her a dirty look. “No way. We can’t risk losing you, not when we’re close to finishing our task,” Pausing, he pulled his own gun from a pocket in his long jacket, nodding his head for Inej and Nina to follow him out. “Wylan, get some flash bombs ready. You’ll know the signal.” 

Wylan nodded. “Already on it.” 

Jesper gave Wylan a fleeting kiss before jumping out of the cart after the others. Alina looked helplessly at Wylan. “I can’t just do nothing!”

Wylan turned his calm blue gaze on her. “We can’t risk losing you Alina, we’re supposed to protect you, not send you into the middle of the battle.” He seemed almost apologetic as he turned back to making his flash bombs. 

All around the cart Alina could hear yells and shouts and gunfire, but unable to see anything she wasn’t sure if it was the Fjerdan’s in pain or her new friends. Finally, that same bird whistle from before filtered through the back of the cart and before Wylan could move to use a flash bomb Alina jumped out of the cart.

“Alina come back!” 

But she ignored his desperate cries and found herself standing next to Jesper with a line of at least eight angry Fjerdan’s facing them. The rest must either be dead or fighting Kaz, Inej, and Nina elsewhere. 

“What are you doing? Get back in the-” But before Jesper could finish scolding her an especially large Fjerdan charged forward, a double sided axe in his grasp. Without a second thought, Alina brought her arm down in an arcing motion and with a faint sizzle the man lay cut in half, his blood staining the pristine white snow. 

“Alina..wha-?” Jesper seemed both awed and scared of her power, but before he could do much else she took a step closer to the rest of the Fjerdan’s, most having the sense to be terrified.

Feeling her power sizzling and bubbling beneath her skin Alina didn’t think twice before cutting her arm through the air once more, bringing the remaining Fjerdan’s cries the last thing she heard before the high of using her powers wore off. 

Staring at the blood and gore in front of her, Alina felt herself sinking to her knees, eyes burning with unshed tears.   
What had she done?


	5. Aftermath

Alina went numb. After using her powers in such a violent way after so long had left her frayed and upset. She felt hands gently grabbing her and was dimly aware of Jesper pulling her to her feet and leading her back to the cart where Wylan’s worried blue eyes were peeking out. 

She was dimly aware of a few more shots going off and cries of pain before Kaz, Inej, and Nina also reappeared. 

No one said anything to her for a while.

Barely aware of anything, she felt the cart slowly lurch into motion again and watched as Nina began gently cleaning the bits of blood and flesh off of her that had sprayed from her violent attack. 

Alina could feel the now familiar tug in her shoulder, but using all the will she had left she suppressed it. Now was definitely not the time she wanted to see the Darkling, afraid of what he’d say. Afraid that every terrible thing about him was about to become true about her. 

She must have fallen asleep because Inej’s gently touch was what woke her. The Suli girl was standing only a few inches away, her small hand nudging Alina’s shoulder. “We’re here.” 

Alina barely managed a nod before Jesper was back and helping her climb out of the cart. It was well into the night by now and the only light was that of the moon, and the soft glow that tended to radiate off Alina always. 

She looked around to see they were in an extremely small trading outpost, with no more than seven buildings. All of the windows dark. 

A faint breeze stirred the still night air, and if it hadn’t suddenly gotten stronger Alina would have thought it natural. But she knew better than that. She only knew of one person with this much control of air. 

“Zoya.” Alina said somewhat quietly. She couldn’t see the dark haired beauty yet, but she knew she couldn’t have been far. 

A moment later she seemed to materialize from the night itself as she came out of the shadows, followed by two guards in blue and gold. “Nice of you to finally arrive.” While her features had a harsh look to them, she wasn’t being rude for once, and within a moment Alina had lurched to her side and pulled the older girl into a tight hug. 

It only took a moment for Zoya to hug her back before pushing her away slightly and holding her at arm’s length. “Part of me thought Nikolai had been holding onto false hope, but here you are in the flesh. The Sun Summoner.” 

Alina almost flinched at the title. No one had called her that in a long time and it almost seemed wrong now, especially after everything and everyone that had been lost. 

“Had he been searching long?” Alina asked quietly, dimly aware of Kaz talking with one of the guards, the others standing a few feet away. 

Zoya’s regal features softened. “Practically since the second you disappeared from your tent, he’s been worried. We all have,” She paused, biting her lip ever so slightly as if she was contemplating saying whatever she intended to next. “Ever since. . .the incident on the Fold, you’d been different and once you left, we wanted you back.” 

Alina felt almost defensive at the words she had chosen, but knew now wasn’t a time to say she wasn’t property. They all knew that already. 

“I couldn’t stay, not with. . .not without Mal.” And not without the Darkling still around she added bitterly to herself. She’d only known of his not being dead for a few days now, but his appearance had only made her more bitter about the entire situation and what she had lost.

Zoya gently wrapped her arm around Alina’s shoulders and began to lead her back towards Kaz and his gang. Alina watched them silently, knowing that she’d most likely never see any of them again and a sharp pain vibrated through her heart. Yes they’d kidnapped her, but they’d also risked their lives to protect her. 

“I guess this is it.” Alina’s voice had gotten quiet again, tainted with emotions that she had long since thought she’s oppressed. 

Jesper was the first to speak, “You really saved us out there,” He paused, moving ever so much closer that Alina could see the flecks of gold in his eyes. “Without your powers, none of us might have made it out of there. It must have been scary, after not using them for so long, but we will forever be thankful.” 

Kaz grumbled something and Inej was quick to elbow him in the side, causing a small - oof - to escape his lips. Alina couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped from her. 

“I know it started off with you kidnapping me, but you all did it in such a tasteful way I can’t even be upset,” She paused, slowly meeting each of their eyes before continuing. “I hadn’t used that much power in years, and it was scary, taking another life after so long of living practically alone, but I don’t regret it. I would use the Cut a hundred more times if it meant saving you.” 

Inej was the first to break, launching herself at Alina and pulling her into a tight so strong she wondered where the small Suli hid all of her muscles. “Thank you so much, Sankta.” 

And there was the second title she hadn’t heard in years. Sankta. Saint. It wasn’t that all talk of Sankta Alina had disappeared, it was that she had tried so hard to disappear from the situation that hearing herself be called that once again was a bit like pouring salt into an open wound. 

After a few more moments, she had properly said goodbye to Nina, Jesper, and Wylan as well. Leaving only Kaz who gave a short but meaningful goodbye before they all piled into the cart once more and all that was left were her, Zoya, and the two guards. 

The guards led her towards a small carriage, just big enough for her and Zoya to clamber into before a gust of air had pinned Alina to the seat, a bewildered and slightly impressed expression on Zoya’s face.

“You used the cut!? Tell me absolutely everything.” Zoya’s voice wasn’t completely demanding, but Alina knew she had now excuse to avoid answering.

The carriage ride to the palace was about to be a lot longer than Alina had planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also just wanted to add in case it hadn't been obvious that Alina never lost her powers in the showdown on the Fold. The Darkling also never did but he's been in hiding since and no one knows where he is. However, Alina's collar and fetter did still fall off, she's just more powerful on her own now because the amplifiers had helped her to hone her powers more. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for reading and I hope you're all enjoying it as much as I'm enjoying writing it :)


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